Car-unloading apparatus



(No Model.) 4 sheets-sheen 1. L. D. HOWARD.

GAR UNLOADING APPARATUS.

No. 587,206. Patented July 27, 1897.

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(No Model.) 4 Sheets--Sheet 2.

L. D. HOWARD. GAR UNLOADING APPARATUS.

No. 587,206. Patented July Z7, 1897.

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(No Model.) 4 sheets-sheet 3. L. D. HOWARD.

CAR UNLOADING APPARATUS.

No. 587.206. Patented July 27,1897.l

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Patented July 27, 1897.

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AM mm 5y c( UNITED- STATES PATENT ENCE.

LYMAN D. HOWARD, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.

CAR-UNLOADING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 587,206, dated July 27, 189'?.

Application iiled November 8, 1894. Serial No. 528,246. (No model.)

T a/ZZ whom/ it may concern:

Be it known that I, LYMAN D. HOWARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oolumbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oar-Unloading Apparatus; and I do declare the following to be a ii'ull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of referlence marked thereon, which form a part of this specication.

Figure l is a plan view of a mechanism embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse view showing the carin the position occupied when unloading. Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section, on a larger scale, showing the rotary supporting devices for the tilting track on the line oc x, Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section of the same on line 'y y, Fig. 4.

In the drawings I have shown a sufficient portion of a railroad-track and of its trestlesupport to illustrate the manner of carrying out my invention. As shown, there are three sections of the track, and the trestle-support or framework may be considered as being in three parts, one indicated by A, another by A', and the third by A2. These may be constructed in any suitable way. I have shown, more or less conventionally, longitudinal beams at da a2 and vertical uprights as. The intermediate frame A' has some parts peculiar to itself which will vbe described below. On these parts of the framework or trestle are supported the rails B B B2.

The rails B are the ones utilized for tilting the car to unload it. The framework A comprises an upper part O and also a lower part O. The upper part O has the movable rails B secured directly to it, they resting upon cross-ties b,which are supported upon longitudinal beams b'. To the under sides of these beams b there are secured truss-frames or longitudinal supporting-beams C2 O2. These rest upon a rotary head, which as a whole is indicated by E and is mounted upon a vertical spindle D, which extends downward a distance sufficient for strength and firmness and is stepped at CZ in the framework.

described parts there extends downward a angeez, by'which can be supported a series of rollers or wheels e3. These wheels rest upon a circular track e4, which rests upon the base part c7 of the frame. At the upper end of this rotary head there are trunnions c5, integral with or secured to it, and upon these trunnions are mounted the aforesaid trussbeams or frame-pieces O2.

It will be seen that the track-rails B and the parts rigid therewith can be not only raised and lowered upon the trunnions e5, but can be also carried laterally around the axis of the spindle D, the rotaryhead E being so connected to them in such way as to turn with them and provide for them an adequate support at all times.

It will also be seen that the trunnions and rotary head are situated nearer toone end of the rails B than the other, and the latter ends will naturally tend to move downward as soon as there is a lateral movement around the spindle D. To support the ends of the rails and their frame, I provide a curved track f on a beam or holder F, carried by the part O of the frame, this part consisting of uprights and crossbeams arranged in such a way as to support the track f in or nearly in an arc struck from thev axis of spindle D.

Between they track-rails B and their movable frame O and the curved track f, I interpose rollers or wheels G G/ and connect them to the frame by one or more hangers' or supports g g. The wheel G is lower than the wheel G", so as to Amaintain the track-rails B always level. f Y K By examining Fig. 2 it will be seen that when car R is in place on the rails B its center of gravity is at a distance from the axes of the parts e5 and D and that as soon as the track rails B' are permitted to move the gravity of the car will cause the rails and their support C to move downward along the track f. To control their downward movement, I employ a friction-governor.

' H II are brake-shoes adapted to engage with ICO the periphery e' of the rotary head E. They can be moved against and from said periphery by the levers H. The latter are pivoted at one end to a bar or brace H2, as indicated at 7i, and at their other ends are connected to a draw rod or lever I by a pivot z', the pivot e' extending above the lever H and through a slot fi', formed in a guiding and strengthening bar I', similar to the bar H2.

To the rod or lever I is connected the link J, which in turn is pivoted to the operating lever K, the latter being pivoted at 71; and hav-- ing a lock mechanism at 7;.

Vith these devices, it will be seen, the operator can accurately regulate the descent and also the movement of the car when it is being unloaded.

Then the parts are arranged "in the way shown, the car is permitted to descend until the rails B/ are at about right angles to their normal position, as shown in Fig. 3 and by dotted lines in Fig. l, and the depression of the end of the carat such timeis sufficient to permit its load to be conveniently discharged. As shown in the drawings, a vessel is indi cated at M, and the parts above described are arranged to deliver the load through the hatchway m, use being made of a chute N, adjacent to the car and from which the material passes, through fiexible chute O, to the interior of the vessel.

After theload has been discharged from the car the car and the track are returned to their normal position by a counterbalance-weight.

P is a rope, chain, orthe like connected to the track and also to a weight Q, there being one or more pulley blocks, as at p. rlhe weight Q is of a gravity between that of the loaded car and that of the empty car and track, so that it will not prevent the load from descending` when desired, but at the same time will cause the return of the car and track after the load has been discharged.

To limit the downward movement of the car and to prevent accident, I employ a spring stop or buii'er at L, which is impinged on by the track or frame at its lowermost position.

Prior to allowing the car to descend it is locked upon the rails B by a chain R, which can be quickly attached or released.

After the empty car has been returned to the level position the chain R' `is released an d the car is advanced to the track-section B2 and another is moved on from the track B to the track 13, and it in turn is emptied, as described.

Vhat I claim is- 1. The combination with the permanent track of the movable track-section, supported on a vertical pivot adjacent to the permanent track and adapted to move laterally about said pivot, and the downwardly inclined guide upon which the outer end of the movable track-section rests when moving laterally, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with the permanent track of the movable track-section pivotally supported upon vertical and horizontal pivots near one end, whereby it is adapted to be moved laterally and to have the other end depressed while so moving, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with the fixed track of the movable track-section mounted to turn about a pivot, a disk connected with said movable section and arranged concentric with the pivot thereof, and shoes for engaging with said disk adapted to be actuated from the stationary track, substantially as set forth.

4t. The combination with the stationary track, of the movable track-section mounted to turn about a vertical pivot, a disk or brakewheel connected to said movable section, levers pivoted at one side of said disk and carrying shoes adapted to contact therewith, and means for operating said levers from the stationary track, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination with the track, of the movable track-section, the rotary head E connected with said track-section and mounted on a vertical pivot, the levers H pivoted at a common pivot and extending on opposite sides of said head, brake-shoes carried by said levers and adapted to contact with the outer face of the head E, and a draw-rod connected to the levers and extending to a point on the stationary track, substantially as set forth.

G. The combination with the permanent track-section, of a movable track having a horizontal pivot and a vertical pivot, an inclined guide upon which one end rests and down which it is adapted to travel and the counterbalancing-weight by which it is returned to its normal position, substantially as set forth.

7. In a car-unloading' apparatus, the combination with a stationary track, A, for loaded cars, and a stationary track, A2, for empty cars, of the movable track-section supported to move both vertically and horizontally and adapted to be held in line with the track, A, an inclined guide for said movable section extending concentric with the vertical pivot of said section, whereby when a loaded car is moved onto such movable track-section the latter will be automatically moved and the car thereon be held in position to discharge its load, and means for automatically moving the movable track-section into line with thel other stationary track A2 to allow thc empty car to pass thereon, substantially as set forth.

8. In a car-unloading apparatus, the combination with the two stationary tracks, A, A2, of the intermediate, movable, track-section, A, a vertical pivot for such movable track-section, a horizontal pivot for said movable track-section, a downward1yinclined guideway for the movable track extending concentric with the said vertical pivot, and a weight connected with said movable track- IOO IIO

section, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

9. In a car-unloading apparatus, the coma bination with the stationary track-sections, A, A2, and a discharge spoutor chute arranged at one side of one of the stationary tracks, of the movable track-section, a turn-table, for the movable track-section adapted to rock about a horizontal axis, a stationary, doWn- Wardly-inelined guide extending concentric with the vertical axis of the turn-table to a point adjacent tothe discharge-chute, and a rzo movable support mounted on said guide and connected with J:he movable track-section, substantially as and for the purppse set forth.

10. In a car-unloading apparatus, the combination With the tWo stationary track-sections, A, A2, arranged in the same longitudinal line, of the movable track-section, a turntable, a support for the movable track-section mounted on said turn-table to rock about a horizontal axis, a stationary, downwardly-inclined, guide extending concentric with the axis of the tu rn-table, and rollers mounted on said inclined guide and connected to the movable track-section, substantially as set forth.

1l. In a car-unloading apparatus, the combination with la stationary track for loaded cars, and a stationary track for empty cars, of a movable track-section, means for securinga car on said movable track-section, asupport for said movable track-section adapted to allow said section to simultaneously move from a position in line with and in the plane of the stationary track for loaded cars to a.

position out of the longitudinal line of and in a plane inclined to the plane of the last said stationary track and maintain the car on said movable track-section in position to discharge its load, and means for moving said movable track section, and theempty car thereon, from the last said position to a position in line with and in the planes of the stationary track, for empty cars, substantially asset forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

LYMAN D. HOWARD. 

